Liquid depth indicating device



Sept; 6, .1932. H. w. KING LIQUID DEPTH INDICATING DEVICE Filed Jan. 5, 1927 ammo/1 Patented Sept. 6, 1932 UNITED STATES P T NT OFFICE 4 HoBAoE w. KING, or BERKE EY, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO KING-SEELEY CORPORA- TION, OF-ANN ARBQR, MICHIGAN, A-conroRA'rIoN or MICHIGAN.

' LIQUID DEPTH' I'Nn-IcA'rInenEVIcE i hppl ication filed January 3, 1927. Serial No. 158,686;

The invention relates to liquid depth indicating devices and refers more particularly todevices for indicatingthe depth of'oil in an engine crank case. One of the objects'of the invention is to provide a simple foildepth indicating device which may be cheaply manufactured and which will correctly reg ister the depth of oil or its equivalent in quantity within the engine crank case." An-' other object is to provide an oil depth indieating device WltllllllllS for supplying air to the air chamber, thefparts being so arranged-that the supplying of'air is depend: ent upon the flow ofthe oil from the crank case during the operation of the engine. A

further object is to provide an oil depth in dicatingdevice with means dependent upon the rotation of'theengine fly Wheel for introducing air into the air chamber. With these as Well as other objects in View, the invention resides in the novel features of construction and c'ombmations and arrangements of parts as more fully hereinafter'set' v same elevation as' the passage through the 'nipple 6. This vent or relieftube, as shown,

forth. V

In the drawing Figure l is a longitudinal section through indicating devices to' replenish their air I chambers wlth air to compensate for absorption of the air contained within these air chambers by the liquid being measured. This also holds true with oil depth indicators and in order to provide for the supplying of air to the air chamber and at the same time to make the device simple and capable of being economically manufactured, I have (le vised the following construction:

1 is the crank case of an internal combustion engine of a standard make of automobile and 2 is the fly wheel which is located within the hell 3 'at the rear end of the crank case and is designed to dip into the oil contained Within the bell and to carry this oil upwardly to an elevated point from which it may flow to other parts of the engine requiring lubrication.

The depth of the oil Within the bell is normally determinedby upper and lower pet cocks in the rear end of the bell, the upper pet cock'tb'eing shown. '5 is the air chamber which is in the nature of a tube at the rear side of the bell. The air 'chamber extends upwardly and is connected. to the bell by'the nipple 6 taking the place of the lower pet cock above referred to. The nipple also supports the air chamber, it having the head 7 for cooperating with the clamp 8 to secure the air chamber in place. 'The lower end of the air chamber is closed as by means of the plug '9 which is threaded into the tube forming the air chamber. The upper end of the air chamber suitably connected by the nipple 10 and union coupling l'l to the air pressure transmitting pipe 12 which is con- I bell 3 and an open lower end communicating with the air chamber 5, preferably at the extends into the air chamber near its upper end and thence downwardly therewithin, the joint between the vent or'relief tube and the air chamber being sealed to prevent any escape of air from the air chamber. s

In operation starting of the engine and consequent rotation ofthe fly wheel 2 produces a flow of oil from" the hell 3, some of this oil being-carried upwardly'by the fly wheel and thence directed to other parts of the engine. This flow of oil from the bell is at times sufficient to uncover the passage in the'nipple 6, thus placing the lower end of the air chamber in communication withtheair allowing'the oil within the air chamber to be drained out and air to enter theair chamber to replace the oil. The vent or relief tubel l functions to keep the minimum pressure within the air chamber at substantially atmospheric pressure and thereby prevents creation within'the air chamber of a s'uflicient suction effect to draw'the indicating liquid from the U-pressure gage 13, it beingievi dent that when the "flow-of oil creates a suction effect air'is allowed to enter the air chamber also'through' the vent 1 oilin an engine crank case, the combination" with an air-chamber communicating with the "crank case, a pressure gagc, ,means whereby said gage communicates with the air space i of said chamber, and means dependent upon the lowering of the oil level in the crank case for introducing air into said air chamber. a 2; In a device for indicating-the depth of ,,,oil inan ,engine crank case, the combination Vofan air chamber communicating with the a crank case, a pressure gauge, means for establishingcommunication between said, gauge and-theair space of said chamber, means dependent upon the depression of the oil level ,in the crank case for introducing air into said air chamber, and an engine fly wheel adapted l npon .rotationto depress the level of the oil in the crank case.

,oil in an engine crank case, the combination crank case, a pressure gage, means whereby.

;With an air chamber communicating with the :said gage communicates vwith the air space .of said. chamber, and means dependent upon rotation of the engine fly wheel and the lowering of theoil; level in the crank case incident thereto for introducing air into saidair cham- .-jber, said means including an air vent tube having; an opening to the air above the level v of oilwithin said crank case and opening into said air chamber adjacent to the point of communication of said air chamber with said crankcase. I

4. In a device for indicating the depth of oil in an engine crank case having a bell within whichthe engine fly wheel is located,

. thefly wheeldi-pping into the oil within the bell, the combination with a tubular member "forming anair chamber atone sideof the bell, means for placing the interior of said ltubular member in communication with the :bell, a pressure gage, means for placing said pressure gage in communication with the upper portion of said tubular member, and

an air vent tube having an openupper end above the level of oil within the bell and an open lower end terminating within said tubular member adjacent to said first mentioned means.

5. In a device for indicating the depth of oil in an engine crank case from which oil communicating with the crank case at a point normally below 'thelevel of oil withinthe crank case whenthe engine is not in operaof an air chamber adjacent :the ':crank case tion, but at a point above the level of oil within the crank case when the engine is in operation, said air chamber being closed to the atmosphere when the engine is not in operation, a pressure gage, and means for placing said pressure gage-1n communication with said air chamberabove-,the-level of oil therewithin.

6. In a device for indicating the depth of oil in an engine crank case,- the' combination 75 -with an :engine part -movable-in said crank case and causing a disturbance of the oil, of

an air chamber'adjacent the crank case and ,with a rotatable engine-partin said crank case adapted to cause movement ofthe oil, 90

communicating with the oil-therein at'a pressure transmitting level, a pressure g-auge, In a ;devicefor indicating the depth of means whereby said gauge communicates with said air chamber, and: means dependent upon'the movement otthe oil andthefilowering of the oil level-caused thereby efor introducing air into said air chamber.

8. In a device --for indicating-thefldepthiof oil in an engine crank case adaptedato .contain oil at various levels, thecombination -j with anvair chamber, means for'jplacing said air chamberin communication with :thecrank case, a pressure; gage, means for; placing, said gage in communication with said air chamber, and means dependentupon a drop in the? level of the oil-in the crank ca-sebelow a predetermined point for replenishing the air chamber with air whereby said gage operates to indicate the various levels ot-the-oil in q the crankcase from its normal level tomb-1 1 stantially the predetermined point: aforesaid.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HORACE NV. :KING. 

